Triffin’s Dilemma Reader's Theater Script | ECON 101.5 Series

This readers’ theater script, Triffin’s Dilemma, covers 12 scenes set in a modern high school classroom. Students explore the U.S. dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency through debates led by teachers Mr. Carter and Ms. Lopez, alongside four students—Mia, Jay, Sara, and Liam. Historical economists Robert Triffin (1960s), Ludwig von Mises (1940s), Milton Friedman (1970s), and Thomas Sowell (late 20th century) join as time-traveling guests to explain the concept’s complexities. The script examines why the U.S. faces trade deficits, connecting local job losses to global dollar demand. It includes 10 speaking roles and is designed for grades 9-12, with casting flexible for different class sizes.

The accompanying worksheet helps students process the script’s lessons through varied questions.

• Short-Answer Questions (5): These check basic understanding of the script’s events and ideas. Examples include “What does Mia blame for her aunt’s store struggling?” and “Why does Jay like trade deficits?” Students apply knowledge of trade deficits’ effects by quoting characters to explain local impacts and benefits like cheaper goods.
• Long-Format Questions (5): These connect script concepts to students’ lives. Examples include “How might knowing about trade deficits affect your choice to buy a foreign-made phone?” and “How could concerns about national debt shape your view on government spending?” Students weigh personal choices and national policies against the script’s trade-off lessons.
• Economic Concept Questions (5): These deepen analysis with research beyond the script. Examples include “Research the U.S. trade deficit with China since 2000—what’s one gain and one cost?” and “How did ending the gold standard in 1971 boost deficits?” Students use the script’s ideas about global cash flows and money systems, guided by hints like “Search ‘U.S.-China trade deficit stats.’”
• Themes and Discussion Questions (4): These encourage group talks on trade-offs and winners/losers. Examples include “How does Sowell highlight trade-offs in the dollar’s role?” and “What trade-offs do you face buying cheap imports versus local goods?” Students debate job losses versus price benefits, applying the script’s tension to their communities.
• Application Focus: Across all questions, students practice citing evidence from characters like Mises on fiat money, linking historical views to modern issues like U.S.-China trade tensions, and reflecting on economic choices, building skills in analysis and real-world reasoning.

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What's included?

(a single PDF with links to Google Docs/Slides, if print format is preferred you can download from your Google Drive to word/pdf/ppt/etc)

1) Teacher's Guide & Answer Key

• Standards Alignment (CCSS Grades 9~12, CCRA)
• Teacher Tips
• Answer Keys for all worksheet sections
• Themes & Discussion Question Prompts
• Format: Google Doc (7 pages)

2) Readers Theater Script

• ~10 Characters, 3000 words,
• Format: Google Doc (6 pages)

3) Script Worksheet

• 10 Vocabulary Words
• 10 Short-Answer Questions
• 5 Economic Concept Research & Extension Questions
• Format: Google Slides (22 Slides)

Teaching Tips for Using the Script:

• For More Students: Main character can be read by multiple students.
• For Less Students: Minor characters can be read by just one student.
• This script should take about 50 minutes
• Depending on your classroom's level it may be suitable for other grade levels.

Script Summary:

• Scene 1: Mr. Carter hails the dollar’s global reign, but Mia questions trade deficits, hinting at Triffin’s uneven toll.
• Scene 2: Ms. Lopez unveils Triffin’s Dilemma to Liam, showing how reserve status sparks deficits and local job losses.
• Scene 3: Jay defends cheap imports in a debate, while Sara fears debt, exposing the deficit’s double edge.
• Scene 4: Robert Triffin from 1960 warns deficits are baked into the dollar’s role, clashing with Jay’s bargain love.
• Scene 5: Mia shares her aunt’s failed shop, tying it to dollar-driven imports, grounding Triffin’s impact.
• Scene 6: Ludwig von Mises from 1949 blasts fiat money’s role in deficits, facing Sara’s power argument.
• Scene 7: Sara pushes export fixes in a debate, but Jay shrugs it off, testing solutions to Triffin’s bind.
• Scene 8: Milton Friedman from 1971 pitches floating rates to ditch deficits, sparking Liam’s market curiosity.
• Scene 9: Ms. Lopez maps the dollar’s global flood to Liam, with Mia spotting local pain amid foreign gain.
• Scene 10: Thomas Sowell from the late 20th century calls it a trade-off, leaving Sara uneasy with systemic costs.
• Scene 11: Students split on deficits versus rethinking the dollar, weighing personal stakes in Triffin’s trap.
• Scene 12: Teachers link Triffin to U.S.-China trade spats, urging Liam to see beyond wins and losses.

Will this meet your classroom's needs?

Try this FREE Globalization & Tariffs script from the ECON 101.5 series first :)